Pope’s Reflection on Homilies

“The homily is the touchstone for judging a pastor’s closeness and ability to communicate to his people. We know that the faithful attach great importance to it, and that both they and their ordained ministers suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from having to preach them!” – Pope Francis “Exhortation”

The paragraph this quote is taken from emphasizes the importance of a homily. We as laity need to realize that preparing and delivering a homily is a difficult process for most priests. They “suffer” in trying to discern what the gospel says to them and how share that message with their flock; each being on different levels and needing to hear a certain message. At times we suffer because the message is right on the mark and we don’t want to hear the message. Other times, it may be that the priest isn’t able to present his homily in a way that resonates with us. It is important for us as laity to be in a relationship with our priests, providing them feedback in positive ways so that they can more effectively share “The Joy of the Gospel.”